Attachment for railroad car journal boxes



I May 23, 1950 F. GILLESPIE ATTACHMENT FOR RAILROAD CAR JOURNAL BOXES Filed Jul 15, 1946 R5 Q t.

awe/rm Hank fiz'llesp z'e J w @N M Patented May 23, 1950 ATTACHMENT FOR RAILROAD CAR JOURNAL BOXES Frank Gillespie, Philadelphia, Pa. Application July 15, 1946, Serial No. 683,681 I 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to journal boxes of rail cars and to an improved means for stopping the train when a journal becomes heated to a predetermined degree. A

An object of this invention is to provide in combination with a journal box, thermostatically operated means correlated with the air brake system for setting the brakes when the journal box becomes heated to a predetermined degree.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a journal box and in combination with an air valve, automatically operable means for effecting operation of the air valve when the journal box becomes unduly heated.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simple, sturdy device of this kind which will readily withstand the strains and stresses incident to the use of the car.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout the respective views,

Figure 1 is a top plan of an attachment for a journal box for regulating the operation of the air brakes in accordance with the temperature of the journal box,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral III designates generally a housing which is adapted to be mounted on the upper wall of a journal box. The housing Ill includes a bottom wall I l and a cover, generally designated as I2. The cover I2 includes a top wall I3, right angular flanges I4 extending from the top wall I3, and outwardly extending base flanges 35 which are adapted to engage the base plate I I and are adapted to be secured thereto by fastening members I5. The plate I6 is secured by fastening members H to the bottom wall II of the housing I0, and the plate I6 has mounted thereon a thermostatic valve operator generally designated as I 8.

The valve operator I8 includes a cylindrical member I9 formed with an annular flange 2B, which is secured by fastening members 2| to the plate I6. The cylindrical member I9 has threaded into the inner end thereof a sprin tensioning plate or nut 22 bearing against the inner end of a spring 23. The spring 23 at its outer end bears against a bi-metallic plate 24 which is dished outwardly and which, at its marginal portion engages the inwardly projecting flange 25 carried by the cylindrical member I9. The bi-metallic member 24 has extending from the axial center thereof a roller 26 which is adapted to engage the elongated valve operating lever 21 so as to hold the lever 21 in valve opening position. An air valve 28 of conventional construction is disposed at one side of the thermostatic member I8 and is interposed in the air line 29 connected to the air brake of the rail car. I

The valve 28 includes an air exhaust 30 for exhausting the air when the valve lever 21 is moved under the action of a spring 3| to valve cut-oil position. One end of the spring 3| is connected to the valve lever 21 and the other end of spring 3| is secured to a post or pin 32 carried by the plate I6.

In the use and operation of this device, the housing It! is mounted on the top of the journal box and the valve 28 which is formed with ears 33 is secured to one side of the thermostatic member I8 by fastening members 34. When the journal box becomes unduly heated, the thermostatic member I8 will move the valve lever holding roller 26 inwardly until this roller becomes disengaged from the lever 21. At this time the lever 21 will be moved under the action of the spring 3I to valve cut-off position so as to permit the release of air from the exhaust 30. This will cause the air brakes to become operative and thereby stop the train.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim is:

1. In an air brake valve attachment for a journal box having an air brake valve and spring pressed valve operating lever biased to braking position, a lever releasing device comprising a cylindrical body open at the ends thereof, an outturned flange at one end of said body for attachment to said box, an inturned flange on the other end of said body, a bi-metallic disc loosely disposed in said cylindrical body. a spring in said body biasing the periphery of said disc into engagement with said inturned flange and an upstanding lever engaging member on said disc normally restraining said lever in brake releasing position and releasable upon distortion of said diaphragm upon reaching an undue temperature of said journal box whereby said lever may be reset to brake releasing position, when said journal box is cool, by depressing said disc into said cylindrical body.

' nal box having an air brake valve and a spring 2. In an air brake valve attachment for a jour- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the pressed valve operating lever biased to braking file of this patent:

position, a lever releasing device comprising an open ended body for attachment to the journal 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS box, a, bi-metallic disc slidable in said body and normally bowed to an outwardly convex disposi- Number Name Date tion, a. valve leveriengaging membenonsaidndisc 3 Maurer 1932 normallyirestraining,saiddever inbiake releasing; 9 3 Spencer 1934 position and releasable upon distortion due to 10 Rosenthay-"t Arm/16 1935 overheating of said journal box, and spring meanss or 21327336 Bolesky 1943 supporting said disc in the openvendotsaid housor 7 1 4 W Zapf 1945 ing whereby said brake lever restrainingmemberf. 51323222 2x2253 5:: 13:2 normally protrudes therefrom and said discand 2318,5119 Cmuwell Apr. 8 1947 restraining member may be depressediomresefl 1M ting said lever when said journal box hasicooled. A

FRANKGIIIESPIE? 

